Herbert Vorgrimler (4 January 1929 – 12 September 2014) was a Catholic theologian and author who published over 90 books in German, 33 of which were translated into English.

Works

Vorgrimler is known for his collaboration in 1965 with

Karl Rahner Karl Rahner (5 March 1904 – 30 March 1984) was a German Jesuits, Jesuit priest and theologian who, alongside Henri de Lubac, Hans Urs von Balthasar, and Yves Congar, is considered to be one of the most influential Catholic theology, Cat ...

, SJ, on the ''Theological Dictionary.'' In the 1970s, together with Stephanus Pfurtner, he supported in Germany the dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and

Freemasonry Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

. In ''Sacramental Theology,'' Vorgrimler describes a dogmatic approach to the sacraments, where he follows

St. Thomas Aquinas Thomas Aquinas ( ; ; – 7 March 1274) was an Italian Dominican friar and priest, the foremost Scholastic thinker, as well as one of the most influential philosophers and theologians in the Western tradition. A Doctor of the Church, he wa ...

in relating the sacraments directly to Christ, but he also expands on the role of the Church. Sacramental activity thus encompasses all of God's activity towards the Church because it always involves the elements of humanity and mystery / sacred. Vorgrimler is conscious of the distinction between sacramental activity and sacraments and understands the seven sacraments as existing objectively in the world, though not on their own grounds but always in relation to Christ and the Church.

List of publications

*''Theological Dictionary'' (1965), (with

), edited by Cornelius Ernst *''Sacramental Theology,'' translated by Linda M. Maloney, Minnesota 1992

References

1929 births 2014 deaths 20th-century German Catholic theologians German male non-fiction writers {{Germany-reli-bio-stub